Exclusive: Buying the dip might be a guy thing, BlackRock study finds
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Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Men are far more likely to "buy the dip," per a BlackRock survey shared first with Axios that examines how voters respond to stock market declines and considers their general feelings about retirement.
Why it matters: The findings illustrate a broader issue when it comes to investing and saving for retirement — there's a gender gap that puts women, who also have longer life expectancies, at a disadvantage.
Zoom in: BlackRock surveyed 1,000 registered U.S. voters between April 17 and April 22, and asked if stock market drops make them more likely to invest because stocks are cheaper.
- 63% of men agreed, compared to just 33% of women.
Zoom out: The vast majority of respondents with retirement accounts didn't change their behavior after the "Liberation Day" sell-off, and given the long timelines that these accounts are on, that made sense.
- In fact, we now know retail investors rushed in to buy stocks when the markets plunged in April, which now looks like the right call.
By the numbers: 80% of BlackRock's respondents said they didn't do anything different when markets fell.
- 10% said they put more money in their retirement account.
- And another 9% either moved money into cash, sold investments or cashed out a retirement account early.
What they're saying: These results are "heartening," Jaime Magyera, co-head of BlackRock's U.S. wealth advisory business, said in a statement.
- "I'm reminded of a timeless piece of investment wisdom that was once told to me: 'It's not about timing the market; it's about the time you spend in the market.'"
The big picture: Women, who still earn less than men on average, are at a disadvantage across all kinds of retirement accounts, from pensions to 401(k)s, and even when it comes to Social Security benefits.
- Women take longer time-outs from the labor market, typically to care for children or other relatives, and thus aren't able to put as much income aside.
- 37% of women had no retirement savings, per a BlackRock survey from January.
- 45% of current retirees, including 54% of female current retirees, said they found entering retirement to be somewhat or very stressful in terms of financial anxiety, in a recent Goldman Sachs survey.
Between the lines: BlackRock has been pushing policymakers to take a closer look at how Americans are saving for retirement, particularly as more are relying on 401(k)s, instead of pension plans.
- The firm is calling it a crisis — "the situation is dire," Larry Fink wrote in his 2025 investment letter, which highlighted that most Americans don't have enough saved.
- Fink suggests new policies that would lead Americans to save more, in private investment accounts.
